If you were born between 1950 and 1955...

1934 will forever be the official birth year of women’s jeans – Levi’s holding the credit for introducing the first pair – but it wouldn’t be until the 1950’s, when stiffer fabric and darker washes came into play, that the age of women’s denim would really begin. While denim’s beginnings were related mostly to Western farming lifestyles, jeans in the early 50’s would begin to develop a blend of Western styling with an effortlessly cool vibe.

Screen sirens and fashion icons of the time, like Marilyn Monroe and Doris Day (pictured here) would break ground for women in denim by taking the once-masculine style and making it all their own. At this time, looser-fitting, boxy cuffed jeans were a favourite.

If you were born between 1956 and 1960...

By the mid to late 1950’s, denim had already begun to evolve from its more basic fits and standard cuffed styles. Casual-chic was becoming a thing, with celebrities and fashionistas alike looking to basic pairings, like crisp T’s, as a go-to for their denim ensembles. Without realizing it, Bridget Bardot, iconic sex symbol, was paving the way for what would one day be considered the official off-duty uniform for models.

If you were born between 1961 and 1965...

The 60’s saw a change in the Western-rooted styles of past, showcasing a slimmer, un-cuffed version of the denim staple – an early nod toward the boot-cut styles to come. Fashion icon Jane Birkin would manage to epitomize the essence of budding denim-culture with her trendsetting styling of the nouveau wardrobe staple through the 60’s and onwards.

If you were born between 1966 and 1970...

The end of the 60’s would bring with it social, political and sexual revolution that would go on to reflect heavily in the fashion of the times. Lighter-wash denim and low-rise styles were new to the scene and flocks of young girls were eager to get in on the latest trends. Worn-in styles would take center stage near the end of the decade, and no-pocket designs promised to highlight the assets of a generation of girls looking to express themselves creatively and break free from traditional roles and more conservative fashions.

If you were born between 1971 and 1975...

Fitted waists, frayed hems, boot cuts and beyond… the 70’s left no room for wallflowers and fashion was for the brave. Exaggerated versions of older styles were commonplace and more people were looking to their blue jeans with bedazzlers in one hand and scissors in the other. Worn-in jeans and embellished customized styles were everywhere, a trend that played to the free-love vibe of the times.

If you were born between 1976 and 1980...

A softer denim was on the rise as some waistlines took the plunge several inches below the navel and others creeped up higher still on the waist. Flares were big on the scene, and patchwork patterns were everywhere you looked. Conservative, stiff denim was a thing of the past – with softer versions and endless new styles on the market.

If you were born between 1981 and 1985...

Anyone born in the 80’s knows that the undisputed queen of fashion was Madonna – love or hate her style, you couldn’t deny that she was setting trends and making waves with her personal style – on and off stage. Here, she epitomizes 80’s fashion and denim of the time with her belted, oversized and worn-in lighter-wash jeans. While slimmer styles, multi-coloured washes and acid-wash fades were also popular at the time, this look radiates 80s style and is a good indicator of the more-is-more direction fashionistas were headed for the remainder of the decade.

If you were born between 1986 and 1990...

It was all about the cool kids in the late 80’s – and no one was quite as cool as the cast of 90210. Easy, androgynous denim was the name of the game, complete with belts that were heavy on the hardware and bold and bright T’s.

If you were born between 1991 and 1995...

The hippies had the 70’s, the pop/punk princesses had the 80’s, and there’s no denying that the 90’s belonged to both grunge-fashion and the rise of the supermodel. There was a delicate balance afoot, between near-masculine fits and ultra-feminine details. For example, it wasn’t uncommon to see a girl pairing her oversized worn-in denim with an oversized flannel shirt, all atop a super fitted crop top. This decade was all about belly-button cleavage and belted jeans. More polished versions of the 90’s jean were mid-wash blue in a midrise and never too fitted or too loose, as seen here on 90’s style maven Winona Ryder.

If you were born between 1996 and 2000...

The tail end of the 90’s brought with it the anticipation of the millennium and fashion that was a clear reflection of the TV times. Grunge was slowly starting to clean up its act, and stars like Jennifer Aniston were showing us how to move forward with our denim staples in new and more fashion-forward ways.